dawson and g



A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION F|LED1uNE21.1911.

1 ,3 l 2, 1 06 l. Patented Aug. 5, 1919.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED IuIIE 21. 1917.

1 ,3 l 2 1 O6, Patented Aug. 5, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET `2.

entran i saaras saranno ernten ARTHURTREVOR DAWSON AND GEORG-E THOMAS BUCKHAM, 0F WESTMINSTEB, LONDON, ENGLAND, -ASSIGNORS TO VIGKERS LIMITED, 0F WESTMINSTEB,

ENGLAND.

MAGHNE-GUN.

Lerares.

Specicatioii of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 5, i919.

Application filed June 21, 1917. Serial No. 176,108.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, knight, and GEORGE THOMAS BUOKHAM, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Machine-Guns, of which thel following is a specication.

This invention relates to machine guns of the type wherein the cartridges are carried by a belt which is passed step-by-step through a feed box where a carrier or extractor movably mounted on a reciprocating lock engages with the rim of a cartridge and extracts the latter from the belt. The invention is particularly applicable to guns of this type, larger than the ordinary machine guns of rifle caliber.

According to the present invention we provide a cartridge retainer which, by engaging with the rim or head of the cartridge that is in position for extraction from the belt, prevents this cartridge from becoming displaced from a slack lpocket in the belt when the lock is in any but its forward or firing position; this displacement. is especially liable to occur when the gun is firing at high angles of elevation and might result in the breech mechanism lbecoming jammed. The said cartridge retainer is adapted to be shifted into its inoperative position by the cartridge carrier or extractor when the lock is completing its forward movement.

In order that the said invention may `be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical longitudinal section and a plan showing a constructional form of the aforesaid cartridge retainer in position on the feed box of an automatic gun of the Vickers type.`

- These figures show the said retainer in engagement with the rim or head of a cartridge in the belt and the lock approaching its forward or firing position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the lock in its forward or firing position and the cartridge retainer displaced from engagement with the rim or head of thecartridge in the belt, and

Fig. i is a vertical section of the feed boX taken on a plane at right angles to the plane of section of Figs. land 3, this gure showing the usual arrangement of mechanismv which in the example shown is in the formv of a pawl or catch pivotally connected at b to the head b of a member B slidably mounted in a bracket B3l attached to the center portion of the upper wall of the feed box A2. The said bracket contains a spring plunger b2 which bears against the pawl B to cause the latter to occupy a position in which it overhangs the rim ofI the cartridge (as shown in Figs. l and 2) when the lock is-not in its forward position., The pawl carries rollers b3, b3 which bear against cam surfaces B3, B3 (see Fig. 3) on the rear part of the bracket; thus when the lock assumes its forward or firing position and the extractor A comes against the pawl B, the latter together with .the sliding member B will be forced forward against the resistance of the spring of the plunger b3 and at the same time the cam surfaces B3, B3 will angularly displace the pawl so that itA becomes clear of the cartridge rim as shown by Fig. 3; this angular movement of the pawl also takes place against the resistance of the said spring. The contacting surfaces of the extractor and the pawl may be suitably rounded as shown to facilitate the actuation of the pawl. 1t is to be .observed that the pawl is capable of a compound movement, that is to say a sliding movement together with the sliding member and an angular movement relatively to the said member; these two movements occur simultaneously and enable the pawl to aceommo vdate itself to the two movements of the exward movement of the extractor together with the lock and the upward movement of Y zine, a cartridge retainer for engaging with the head of the cartridge that is in position for extraction from the magazine, when the lock is in any but its forward or firing position.

2. In a machine gun having a cartridge magazine and an extractor mova'bly mounted on a reciprocating lock and adapted to engage with a cartridge in the magazine, a cartridge retainer for engaging with the head of the cart-ridge that is in position for extraction from .the magazine, when the lock is in any but its forward or firing position.

3. In a machine gun having a feed box ,through which a cartridge belt passes step by step and an extractor movablyv mounted on a reciprocating lock and'l adapted to engage with a cartridge in the belt, the combination of a cartridge retainer for engaging with the head of the cartridge that is in position for extraction from the belt, when the lock is in any but its forward or firing position, and a spring for normally holding said retainer in engagement with the cartridge head.

4. In a machine gun having a cartridge magazine and an extractor movably mounted on a reciprocating lock and adapted to engage with a cartridge in the magazine, the combination of a spring controlled pawl for magazine and an extractor movafblyl mounted on a reciproca-ting lock and adapted to engage With a cartridge in the magazine, the combination of a pawl for engaging with the head of the cartridge that is in position for extraction from the magazine, a sliding member to which said pawl is pivoted. and a spring common to both the pawl and the sliding member the pawl being moved to its disengaging position by the extractor when the lock is completing its forward movement. GQIn a machine gun having a cartridge magazine and an extractor movably mounted on a reciprocating lock and adapted to engage with a cartridge in the magazine, the .combination of a pavvl for engaging with the head of the cartridge that is in position for extraction fromthe magazine, a sliding member to which said pawl is pivoted, a spring common to both the pawl and the sliding member, rollers carried by said pawl and fixed cams with which said rollers coact, the pawl being moved to its disengaging position by the extractor when the lock is completing its forward movement. y l

In testimony whereoiI we aiixour signatures.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS vBUCKHAM. 

